Finally, Atiku In Rivers To See Wike

By Charles Igbo

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has, finally, gone to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to meet with Governor Nyesom Wike.

Atiku’s visit to Wike is, apparently, to repair the damage in their relationship which is threatening to affect the performance of the PDP in 2023, especially, the Presidential ambition of Atiku.

The two were Presidential aspirants. But Atiku won in the Primary beating Wike to a respectable second place.

All was well until Atiku picked Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate.

Before he picked Okowa, the strong expectation in Wike’s camp was that he would be the running mate, especially, as a 17-man Screening Committee set up by Atiku and PDP, chaired by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, revealed that Wike garnered 14 out of 17 votes to place first in the three short-listed possibles. The other two were Okowa and Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel.

Since Okowa’s pick, things have not been the same in the Party. Camp Wike is angry and has since given the PDP a wide berth. The camp includes, at least, three State Governors, Ortom, Seyi Makinde of Oyo and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia as well as a number of high profile PDP members.

The situation was not helped when Wike’s private residence in PH became a Mecca of sorts for Political leaders of other parties, including the All Progressives Congress, APC. Losing Rivers is a big deal.

However, the situation worsened after Atiku’s recent interview on ARISE TV where he, indirectly, dismissed Wike as not quite fit to be his running mate. He said he wanted somebody he could work with, a President-in-waiting, a unifier who could step in at a moment’s notice.

Stung, Wike in response, said he would tell the Atiku story and expose the recent happenings in the PDP.

The threat caused panic in the PDP. Many, including Ortom, who has, finally, decided to back Atiku’s ambition, advised Atiku to go and meet with Wike and sort things out.

On Thursday, Atiku did. At the time of writing this, details of the meeting were still being awaited.